*post was written under previous alias; Blossom & Cake
Celebrate the new year with a pink champagne cake while looking ahead at new beginnings and opportunities!
Table of Contents
A Toast to the New Year
Now, I’ll be honest—this pink champagne cake may look like it belongs more at a birthday party than a New Year’s Eve party, but honestly, isn’t the start of a new year kind of like the world’s collective birthday? We’re celebrating another trip around the sun, fresh starts, and, most importantly, cake. Whether you’re raising a glass or slicing a piece (or both—no judgment), this cake is here to toast 2024 with a little sparkle, sweetness, and plenty of frosting. 🎉
As we step into the new year, I find myself reflecting on fresh starts and the courage it takes to embark on new journeys. Just a month ago, I finally took the leap into sharing my love for cake and cupcake decorating—something I’d thought about for a long time. It’s definitely a ‘better late than never’ vibe, but honestly, it feels like the best gift I’ve ever given myself (well, besides cozy socks).
Inspiration Behind the Cake
The pink champagne cake in this post is kind of special to me. It’s based on my late gramma’s white cake recipe. She always encouraged me to be creative and to explore cake decorating, so bringing her recipe to life like this feels right. I started by infusing her white cake recipe with Brut Rosé champagne and tinting the batter a soft pink. The champagne creates tiny bubbles throughout the cake, giving it a light, airy texture. You’ll find the full recipe below so you can make your own!
I knew I wanted to incorporate gold to symbolize the celebration of the New Year, but I also wanted to include pink to reflect Blossom and Cake. By luck I already had a sprinkle medley that matched the vibe I was going for.
When it came time to decorate, I let myself work freely, embracing creativity without overthinking. As a painter, I’ve learned that perfectionism can hold you back, and the magic happens when you trust yourself to create. That mindset is something I want to carry into 2025: embracing the unexpected and finding beauty in the process.
This cake isn’t just dessert to me. It’s all about celebrating, growing, and making something beautiful. As I look ahead, I’m hoping this journey grows too—in skills, creativity, and in the connections it brings with all of you who are following along. The new year feels like the perfect time to plant those little seeds, nurture them, and see where they bloom—whether in life, creativity, or maybe even buttercream flowers…
Why This Pink Champagne Cake Recipe Works
This isn’t just any champagne cake—it’s built on the foundation of my grandmother’s tried-and-true white cake recipe, which creates an incredibly tender, fluffy crumb. Here’s what makes it special:
- Brut champagne adds a subtle, sophisticated flavor without making the cake overly sweet
- The champagne’s acidity works with the baking powder to create a light, airy texture
- Room temperature champagne prevents curdling and incorporates smoothly into the batter
- The 1:1 butter-to-sugar ratio in the buttercream makes it silky smooth and easy to spread
- Pink food coloring gives it that celebratory look perfect for any special occasion.
- Don’t worry if your batter looks pale—the pink color intensifies during baking, creating a more vibrant crumb than you’d expect from the raw batter
- Small bubbles from the champagne create beautiful tiny craters throughout the cake, adding to its unique texture
This cake works whether you’re celebrating New Year’s Eve, a birthday, or just want an excuse to bake something special.
Decorating the Cake
Since I wasn’t piping intricate florals for this cake, I kept the buttercream soft and fluffy by beating the butter for 10-15 minutes. I also microwaved it for a few seconds to reduce air bubbles and make it easier to spread, especially since I was working with frozen cake layers.
I crumb coated and filled the cake with a mock Swiss meringue buttercream I’m still experimenting with (recipe coming in the near future). For the outer layer, I used a basic buttercream and infused it with more champagne, which added a subtle pop of flavor but also helped cut down the sweetness a bit.
To decorate, I attempted an ombré effect by blending white and pink buttercream—it didn’t quite turn out as planned, but I went with it. At the base of the cake, I added a mix of pink, white and gold sprinkles from a sprinkle medley from Sweetapolita called Glazed and Confused—which, honestly, sums up how I feel coming out of 2024.
For the top, I created a spiral effect with an offset palette knife. I used a Wilton 1M tip to pipe tall pink buttercream swirls all along the edge, finishing them with gold pearl sprinkles and a scattering of more of the sprinkle mix. After letting the buttercream chill for a bit, I painted the edges of the pink swirls with edible gold luster, giving the cake a soft elegance with just the right amount of sparkle to celebrate the New Year.
The pink cake turned out SO GOOD. It was light and fluffy, even with the champagne being a little flat.
Tips for Success
Make-Ahead: Cake layers can be baked, cooled, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before frosting.
Champagne Substitute: Any brut sparkling wine or brut sparkling rosé works beautifully. The key is choosing something dry rather than sweet.
Pan Sizes: This recipe makes 2-3 8-inch layers or 2 9-inch layers, depending on how thick you want your layers.
For Smoother Buttercream: After whipping the buttercream, microwave it for just a few seconds to remove air bubbles and make it even easier to spread—especially helpful when working with chilled or frozen cake layers.
Leftovers: Store the frosted cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the frosted cake for up to 2 months—just wrap it well! Bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead to the new year, I’m so excited for what’s next. While I’m not new to cake and cupcake decorating, this is the first time I’m really putting myself out there—sharing my passion through tutorials, connecting with amazing people, and turning my creativity into something bigger. Decorating and being creative has always been my happy place, and now I get to share it with others, and that honestly brings me so much joy.
This pink champagne cake feels like the perfect way to kick off this new chapter. It’s a reminder to celebrate milestones—big or small—and take a moment to appreciate how far we’ve come. Life can be such a whirlwind, but pausing to celebrate makes all the difference and helps us get excited for what’s ahead.
As we head into the new year, I’m so excited to see what you create! If you make this pink champagne cake, snap a photo and tag me @alchemy.sweets on Instagram—I love seeing your bakes and celebrating with you!
What are you most excited about for the year ahead? Whether it’s new recipes to try, goals you’re tackling, or celebrations on the horizon—let me know in the comments below.
Let’s keep inspiring each other, and here’s to a year full of creativity, growth, and plenty of reasons to celebrate. Cheers to making it a sweet one! 💜
Pink Champagne Cake
Ingredients
Pink Champagne Cake
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ⅔ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 cup brut champagne room temp
- pink food coloring to desired shade
Champagne Buttercream
- 2 cups unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tbsp brut champagne room temp
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
Pink Champagne Cake
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat oven to 350°F and grease cake pans.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 3 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until lighter in color and fluffy, about 5-10 minutes.⅔ cup unsalted butter, 1¾ cup granulated sugar
- Add Eggs: Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition to ensure each egg is fully incorporated.3 eggs
- Add Flavorings: Mix in vanilla extract and pink food coloring.1 tsp vanilla extract, pink food coloring
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add the sifted dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, alternating with wet ingredients (such as milk or buttermilk). Start and end with dry ingredients: add 1/3 of dry, then 1/2 of wet, 1/3 of dry, remaining wet, then remaining dry. Mix gently after each addition until just incorporated—don’t overmix.¼ cup milk, 1 cup brut champagne
- Bake: Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched.
- Cool: Cool cakes in pans for 5 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.
Champagne Buttercream
- Beat Butter: Beat butter until creamy and pale, about 5-10 minutes.2 cups unsalted butter
- Add Sugar: Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating on low then increasing to medium.4 cups powdered sugar
- Add Flavorings: Add champagne, vanilla, and salt.3-4 tbsp brut champagne, 2 tsp vanilla extract, ¼ tsp salt
- Whip: Beat on high for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Adjust Consistency: Add more champagne if needed for easier spreading, or more powdered sugar if too thin.
Notes
- This recipe makes enough batter for 2 six-inch layers and 1 four-inch layer (or 2-3 eight-inch layers, depending on how thick you want your layers)
- For a standard 2-layer six-inch cake (shown in photos), you’ll have about 6-8 servings
- Extra batter can be used to make a small smash cake or cupcakes
- Use brut champagne or brut sparkling rosé for best results—the dryness balances the sweetness of the cake
- The champagne should be at room temperature for the cake batter
- Don’t overmix once you add the flour to keep the cake tender
- Allow cake layers to cool completely before frosting to prevent the buttercream from melting
- For best flavor, use the same champagne in both the cake and buttercream
- This buttercream has a 1:1 butter-to-sugar ratio, making it smooth and easy to spread
- Store frosted cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days (bring to room temperature before serving
